Courageous movie to hit theaters September 30 2011

ALBANY, Ga – Dec. 6, 2010 – COURAGEOUS – the next movie from Sherwood Pictures, makers of FIREPROOF – debuts nationwide Sept. 30, 2011, with an exciting story of the difference that dedicated fathers can make in the lives of their families. What FIREPROOF – the No. 1 independent film of 2008 – did to encourage couples to bring unconditional love to marriage, COURAGEOUS stands to do for parents and their children. The film will be distributed by TriStar Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Produced by Sherwood Pictures in association with Provident Films and AFFIRM Films, COURAGEOUS follows the lives of five men, four of them deputy sheriffs in Albany, Ga.
A sudden and unexpected tragedy forces each man to consider what kind of father he has been . . . and just what God intends of fathers.

“My hope is that COURAGEOUS will cause men to re-think what success really is,” said Michael Catt, executive producer, and senior pastor of Sherwood Church, the ministry home of Sherwood Pictures. “Success in life is not in things, but in your most intimate relationships. You are successful if you have a strong faith, children who love you, and a wife who adores you.”

Across the country, churches, ministries, support organizations for fathers, and fans of Sherwood Pictures are mobilizing to see and use COURAGEOUS for the important conversation it starts. Sherwood Pictures has a well-deserved reputation for entertainment with a purpose, producing faith-based films that entertain and enlighten, in theatrical and DVD hits such as FLYWHEEL, FACING THE GIANTS, and FIREPROOF.

The Sherwood Pictures executive team is Sherwood Church Senior Pastor Michael Catt, Executive Pastor Jim McBride, and Stephen and Alex Kendrick. COURAGEOUS was co-written by Stephen and Alex, and directed by Alex, who also plays one of the law enforcement officers in the ensemble cast.

Fatherhood Under Fire

COURAGEOUS debuts at a pivotal period.

“We live in a time when 40 percent of children are born in a home with no father around,” Alex Kendrick said. “Our guide for moviemaking is simple: ‘What does the Lord want us to do?’ Every member of our team felt strongly that now is the time for the message that COURAGEOUS brings to life.”

Statistics continue to mount related to the importance of fathers to their children. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sites studies showing:

- good father-child relationships produce children who are more secure and less likely to suffer from depression.
- children with fathers at home enter school at higher levels of academic readiness.
- homes with mothers and fathers present produce children who earn more A grades and are less likely to have to repeat a grade.

Movies That Make a Difference

Well before COURAGEOUS opens, many churches will buy out entire showings and build sermons and curricula on the topic of fatherhood. At pre-theatrical screenings, influencers will receive “resource DVDs” with movie excerpts for lessons and discussion. Local action groups already are volunteering to promote and publicize the film. The film’s ministry partners and many smaller groups will spread the word that COURAGEOUS spurs conversations that can change lives. Books and study guides will support the film and expand its impact.

ABOUT PROVIDENT FILMS

Provident Films, a division of Provident Music Group, produces and distributes faith-based films. Nashville-based Provident Music Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, has been one of the world’s leading Christian entertainment companies for more than three decades. Under the umbrella of Sony Music Nashville, Provident Music Group is comprised of Provident Films, Provident Label Group, Essential Music Publishing, and Provident-Integrity Distribution. ProvidentFilms.org

ABOUT AFFIRM FILMS

AFFIRM Films is a division of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA), a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company, dedicated to producing, acquiring, and marketing films that inspire, uplift, and entertain audiences. AFFIRMFilms.com

ABOUT TRISTAR PICTURES

TriStar Pictures is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at SonyPictures.com

To learn more, visit:
COURAGEOUS at CourageousTheMovie.com

EMMY-WINNING DIRECTOR STEVE FELDMAN TO DIRECT “A SEASON OF MIRACLES”

Producer Dave Moody Signs Feldman to Rusty Whitener-created Film

(Nashville, Tenn) Four years ago, after thirty years in the motion picture industry, Emmy-winning director Steve Feldman decided to pack up and leave Hollywood for greener pastures.

“When I realized that 75% of the nation’s population lives within a 700-mile radius of Nashville, I knew I’d found the right town,” Feldman said. He moved his family to Music City and settled in, quietly meeting with fellow industry veterans at Edgehill Café, taking his time to find the right story. “By living here, I find stories that are appropriate for the general population, not just the ‘idea’ of the population that Hollywood holds.”


Now, four years after his move and hundreds of meetings later, Feldman is once again applying his directing skills to a project—“A Season of Miracles” written by Rusty Whitener, produced by Elevating Entertainment, and based on the novel of the same name that released from Kregel Books in August.

“As soon as I met Steve earlier this year, I knew I wanted to work with him,” said Dave Moody, President of Elevating Entertainment. “His credentials and background will be tremendously helpful in creating a quality film from Rusty’s screenplay.”

Filming is set to begin next year. For more information, visit www.elevatingentertainment.com. Moody and Feldman are available for interviews.

Steve Feldman is an Emmy award winning TV director who’s worked with talent as varied as Bill Nye, Linda Ellerbee, Bill Maher and Elmo for PBS, CBS, Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, MSNBC and Discovery. His credits include Sesame Street, the ‘Nick News, Politically Incorrect, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Suess, LazyTown and the debut musical theatre production for Walden Media, Rock Odyssey. He is Owner of The Sam Hill Group.

Dave Moody is an artist, songwriter, producer and filmmaker with numerous industry awards and peer acknowledgements to his credit. As a member of his family group, The Moody Brothers, he earned two Grammy Award nominations in the ‘80s, and spent most of the ‘90s in Paris, France working for The Walt Disney Company. From 2001 to 2010, he won 2 Dove Awards and earned 19 nominations. As a filmmaker, he has won numerous festival awards for the motion pictures he’s directed, produced, and contributed to, working with Hollywood veterans and respected actors, including: BILL COBBS (Night At The Museum, That Thing You Do), Golden Globe nominee LEE MERIWETHER, ROB SCHNEIDER (Saturday Night Live), JOHN de LANCIE, CATHERINE HICKS, MARGARET O’BRIEN, and others.